The Chronicles of Vader
by LordKazama86
Summary: Darth Vader has felt a rift in the force the likes of which he has never seen. Memories of his past riddle him endlessly as he begines to feel as though he made the wrong choice. The dark side lays waste to his heart as he fights an inner struggle again,
1. Chapter 1

-1Chapter 1:

Prologue: The Fall

Darth Maul felt a rift in the force like he'd never felt before. Breaking eye contact with his prey, Obi-wan Kenobi, who dangled helplessly below his feet, just long enough to realize what was about to happen. Searing pain shot through the Sith's body equivalent to the dismembering bite of a Nexu hound. A misty shower of blood lightly sprayed his face as he began to lose consciousness.

Maul felt time become sluggish as he slipped backwards into the Noobian mining pit. Memories began to flood his mind, memories of his past, memories of his childhood, the times of joy and happiness, as well as memories of dark times. Murder, the slaughter of a pair of Jedi only a short time ago. The many trials of his master… The dark side within him was set free by the cauterizing light saber blade of a Padwan. Maul welcomed death.

He seemed to fall forever, stuck for eternity in a supernova of shame and dishonor. Thoughts raced in his mind as the pain intensified, reaching a level far beyond anything he'd thought possible.

"No." Maul thought to himself quietly and calmly. "It…it can't be."

Maul despised the Republic and all its inhabitants…but not because it was simply the way things were, but because Darth Sidious had instilled it in his soul. His very moral fibers glistened with the Sith Lords evil intent, allowing hatred for life to build and build, until finally, after years of planning, after nearly two decades of training, all of his work had been decimated by a _jedi_. How he despised them _all._

Iridonia, his home world, nothing more than a repressed memory. His family, only a tiny spec of thought inside an infinite universe of darkness. The Sith, he and his master were the remnants of what once was, and what may never be again. His mother, he _remembered_ his mother. The pain of the saber wound he'd just received paled in comparison to this new pain, an emotional pain. He'd realized he had taken the wrong path, and in that tiny glimmering memory of his mother, of his family, Maul knew he'd been deceived.

"Lord Sidious." Maul thought to himself. "I've failed you."

Time seemed to slow even further as more memories hurtled into his psyche. Images flashed in his mind like a Holotube screen on the fritz. He saw himself as a young boy on Iridonia. He'd been _young_…the thought somehow slipped his mind over the years. The possessing Palpatine forced him to endure had erased that memory along with many others. A new being was created after the Senator discovered his potential. The Senator sensed his power and jumped at the chance to train an apprentice of his own. An _apprentice_? Or was he simply a tool, a dismissible object to be discarded at any given time.

"He used me." Maul contemplated silently to himself as he continued to fall.

The fallen Sith felt anger and pain fuse together to form a new hatred; a hatred for his master. Long had he felt distrust for Palpatine, long had he fought an internal battle to repress his own memories. His people. He'd never known any other Zabrak. He would have liked to know someone else. He was utterly alone in the universe. He was the only Sith apprentice in existence.

"Hence forth, you shall be known as Darth Maul." The words echoed throughout his mind. A new image, a violent image sifted into his view; that of Darth Sidious the Deceiver. He _remembered_.

"Maul."

"Yes, my master." The Sith apprentice said half bowing.

"You have done well over the years. It is time to exact our revenge on the Jedi." Sidious voice boomed throughout his office. "You are both strong and wise. I feel it is time for you to explore the realms of the dark side."

"What would you have me do, my master?" Darth Maul exclaimed in a low gritty voice.

"You will go to the planet Kamino. You will gain the friendship of Lamu Su and the dignitaries there. Do what ever is necessary to gain their trust and loyalty." The hooded Sidious flashed a piercing smile. "Unfortunately, my young apprentice, you must appear to be part of the Jedi order to complete your task. It is vital that Lama Su believes you are Master Cypho Diaz." His smile dipped to a deceptive frown. "Unfortunately, my young apprentice, I cannot allow you the satisfaction of ending Master Diaz's life. He is far more powerful than you…I shall take care of him myself."

"Yes, my master. It should not pose much of a problem."

Maul widened his eyes as he realized his wound was far worse than it seemed. He closed his eyes tightly in pain, clenching his fists. The air left his body just as he caught a glimpse of Kenobi above him. He sneered into Obi-wan's eyes and received the same gesture in return, only to witness the lower portion of his body slide into his view. Mauls heart skipped beat and blackness took over his world. The Sith apprentice felt one last blast of pain rummage through his head as he slammed into the pit wall. The dark finally took over and it was not welcomed any longer.


	2. Chapter 2

-1Chapter 2:

Vader's Quarters

The blackness of space perfectly disguised the approach of Lord Vader's modified TIE fighter, allowing only the occasional glimmer as it reflected light from distant stars. The nearly completed Death Star stood in plain view; alone in its vastness, tucked away safely behind the giant world of Bel'izod. A desolate world riddled with wastelands nearly 20 parsecs from the planet

Mustafar.

Imperial guards, outfitted with red cloaks that were easily outweighed by their masters prowess, awaited his return in the VIP cargo bay. A battalion of Storm Troopers stood in drones, each anxious to catch a glimpse of Darth Vader. The 151st battalion; a fresh batch of troopers cloned and descended from the infamous 501st sect of the Clone Wars. Trained sharpshooters that could blast the ears off a Bantha from a Star Destroyers length away. They were brutal, lifeless killers…Vader's hand picked soldiers and one of the very few groups of clones authorized for deployment by the Emperor; Darth Sidious.

The blackened TIE-fighter riddled with minor laser scorch marks eerily faded through the cargo bay shield, descending slowly to the cold metallic floor with a _clang_. Smoke and steam shot out of the vessel, depressurizing it. Troopers stood on high at the sight of the blast dome retracting. The dark figure shot out of the top of his TIE fighter and landed in front of General Tarkin; a cold and maniacal figure dawning a faded grey assault suit. If Vader had been the second most powerful figure in the Empire, Tarkin was certainly next in line. In a time of darkness and evil, this man and the Sith lord fit together perfectly.

"Lord Vader," General Tarkin exclaimed with an almost joyous flavor, as if happy to see the Sith Lord back so soon. "I trust your trip was to your satisfactory?"

Vader stood looming over Tarkin, his re-breather echoed throughout the massive cargo bay that had fallen silent.

"General Tarkin." Vader paused and scanned the battalion of troopers, returning his ominous gaze upon the general. "Is everything in order?"

"Yes, lord Vader. This battalion has been trained to your specifications and will provide you with extra support on your missions of conquest."

General Tarkin gulped heavily as Vader strode closer to him. The Empires greatest general, made a fool by what he considered to be a "magician".

"Tarkin. Do not assume that I need support of any kind," Vader stated, pointing his finger in Tarkin's face. " blaster cannons, no many how vast in number, are insignificant to the power of the force."

Tarkin smirked and gave a graceful bow. "Of course, Lord Vader. I could never think otherwise."

Vader gave no return gesture and began to strode alongside his personal, disposable Storm Troopers. Tarkin spun around quickly and precisely to equal Vader's speed, but lingered a few feet behind.

Tarkin spoke as Vader kept his stride along the outskirts of the formation lines. "Each highly trained to be precise in any field on combat. Expert marksman…" He broke off to a pause. " and excellent pilots."

Vader stopped dead in his tracks, but did not turn to face the general. A modified pit droid in the cargo bays corner bleeped in satisfaction as it completed repairs on a Blast Cannon that fit snug into its proper position; the side arm turret of a TIE-fighter. Tarkin would have that droid disintegrated for breaking the silence.

"Tarkin. You begin to annoy me." Vader boomed. "I did not order pilots, I ordered _obedient killers. _You, general, have a severe problem. Perhaps a mechanized ear drum could fix your unfortunate handicap." Vader tapped his light saber gently.

Tarkin gritted his teeth as the words twisted and swirled inside his head. He clenched his right hand as hard as he could until a _crack _befuddled him back into reality. Only in Vader's presence did Tarkin silently and invisibly shiver in his boots. He hated Vader. He'd hated the Emperor as well, but because he was the way he was, General Tarkin remained silent.

_Uh' hum. _Tarkin cleared his throat. "Lord Vader, the 151st battalion shown impressive piloting skills in their preliminary stages or training. The Emperor himself oversaw all basic operations in training the infantry, and in doing so, found that this particular group of troopers had a knack for flying. A most peculiar turn of events, but a positive turn none the less."

"Do not underestimate me, General. There was a good reason I had chosen this group of men. Their ancestors fought by my side in the Clone Wars, it is only logical that their direct linage would eventually lead to a more perfected soldier." Vader paused to scan the massive herd of white troopers. "I have full faith in their abilities and I would give no greater trust to any other battalion."

"Ah. Yes. The Clone Wars." Tarkin passed a disgusted look. "Uncivilized times."

Tarkin felt as though he'd just made the mistake of a lifetime. A churning inside his stomach came upon him and he wasn't sure if it had been Vader's doing, or simply fear of a brutal death.

"You have courage General, I will give you that. But if you ever try my patience again, I will show you the full power of the dark side. I suspect you will not make the same mistake twice."

Vader gestured for his guard to accompany him through the horizontally opening blast doors. His red-guard; the elite soldiers, _the_ soldiers. An honor bestowed only to those who passed torment and bloodshed. The red-guard were the best of the best, and they both knew it.

"Remember General, you have run out of chances…" Vader softly stated just loud enough for Tarkin to hear as the blast doors closed behind him.

"My lord." The taller guard in red whispered. "Lord Sidious requests your presents in data room 32-forward." The trio seemed to plow through the empty hallways of the Death Star like a careening snow speeder through frigged air.

"My Holocube, Rea'Lien. Has its restoration been completed?" Vader turned to his right side to inquire.

"Yes, my lord, it awaits activation inside your personal quarters." The guard broke off. "My lord, If I may?"

"Yes, what is it Lien." Vader continued his stride, stepping through another set of blast doors that opened across its center.

"My lord, in restoring the Holocube, I encountered a slight problem." One could hear a slight shakiness in the guards grungy voice.

"What type of problem…" Darth Vader never asked a direct question, he made it seem as though he already knew most everything, or at least, that is how most would interpret his tone. One doesn't up and inform a Sith Lord of anything unless asked first. The intended education of Vader results in immediate dismemberment. The guard spoke his words carefully.

"I had encountered a problem in fully restoring the central core processors power unit. To our luck, it is in working order, except…" Rea'Lien desperately tried to avoid a pause in his explanation. "…I was unable to build a sufficient power source for continued viewing. As it stands right now, one would be able to view its entirety only a few times. Perhaps, my lord, with your vast knowledge of technological architecture, you would be able to fashion a separate power source…as I am not as experienced in power conversions as you are."

Rea'Lien was one of the few beings in the universe Darth Vader enjoyed speaking to. Lien's knowledge of current and ancient technology was nearly as strong as his own. He almost admired the man, they both had a knack for inventing and building.

Vader dismissed his personal guard with a flick of the wrist as the blast doors of Data room 32-Forward opened with a _swoosh_. To his surprise, the image of his master had already been activated. The Emperors glowing red eyes had been fixed upon Vader's blackened optical sensors, seemingly even before Vader had entered the room. Something was wrong, Vader could sense it easily.

"Lord Vader." The massive image of Darth Sidous said with a smirk. "I trust your leave was fulfilling…"

"Yes, my master. It was." Vader dipped to one knee and crossed his arm over his chest.

"Have you anything of value to report, my young apprentice?" Sidious exclaimed, ending the sentence in a sluggishly slow tone.

"No, my master. Nothing of…_value_."

A pause filled the air, an almost uncomfortable pause that would have easily made the heart of any normal being skip a beat. Although, Vader did not have a heart. There was only the dark side, nothing more. Vader could sense a numbness where his legs used to be. An _impossible_ sensation he thought.

"Ah. Good." The glowing sith proclaimed. " I will be arriving on the Death Star within a standard week. I have more pressing matters to attend to in the Outer Rim territories.

"Yes, my master." Vader rose.

"My friend, my most trusted friend." Sidious frowned heavily. "I fear a most treacherous path has been brought before you. You must not stray from that which you have chosen. The dark side still yet contains much we have not discovered. I…we have much to do."

"I understand, my master." Vader slightly clenched his bionic fist.

The image of the Darkest lord of the Sith evaporated into the processed air. Lingering only for an instant, seemingly to ponder what exactly his master had meant, he pivoted and proceeded out of the room.

Vader's stood in front of the blast door of his personal quarters, for nearly a full 60 seconds before entering. Password protected, his metallic door swung open with a _thud; _flashing the words _Password: Senator Padme Accepted _on its Holoview screen.

Vader has already begun to unhinge his helmet before the door slammed closed. Depressurizing in a plum of smoky mist, the top half of his black helmet slide off. Vader stood placed the top of his helmet atop a banister that also shown an array of different types of light sabers. Striding sluggishly toward a low lined metallic chair, he summoned a glass bottle of liquid into his hands. Setting it on the arm of the chair, he unclipped the last remaining parts of his inner helmet, removing it completely. The intense breathing made infamous by the dark lord reverted to a slight wheeze. His long black cape fell to the floor and he took his light saber into his hands, placing it in a holster inside the chair. Allowing himself to elegantly float backwards into the chair, he let his mind slip into a dreamlike state. With his head resting comfortably on the back end of his chair, he let out a deep _sigh._ Mood reflection lights around the room instantly reverted from an intense scarlet to a serene and graceful blue. Which in turn, refracted more intense colors around the room through viles and other bottles full of liquid refreshments. Not a room one would expect from a lifeless killer. Although, an educated killer…one more like Darth Vader, one would instantly begin to understand the serenity needed to preserve an emotionless state. Vader needed a counter balance. Outside of this room there were no emotions. However, inside this peaceful room, the balance of the universe took its course. Life for death, peace for struggle, completeness for emptiness. This was what kept Vader sane. It is what kept him different from all the other Sith before him, it is what kept him above them all, able to ponder and exist without total darkness blinding him.

Darth Vader had become one with the force, and in doing so, allowed memories past to unfold inside his mind. Thoughts raced through his mind like a pod racer accelerating at high speed and he progressed deeper into the force. Advancing further into the realms of darkness, Vader finally came to his own comforted area. This was his area of the force. It lay far beyond the point the most powerful Sith or Jedi had ever reached. It was his safe area inside the force, a spot where he could be alone to view any direction at will.

Inside the darkness Vader saw images of his past, present and future. Although, he did not take pleasure in considering his future, he only seemed to focus on his past. As to him, his present was also _completely futile_.

"_Anakin, try not to get us both killed."_

"_I'm sorry, master. I'm trying." _

"_Feel the force Anakin, it will obey your commands. Trust in it, don't think it. One must feel it."_

"_I understand, master."_

Powerful memories, memories of key moments in his life before Vader existed came into sight. He lived them again, watching overhead as he and his former master learned from each other. Kenobi. _Obi-wan_. His brother. His mortal enemy.

"_You were my brother Anakin…I loved you."_

"_I…I hate you!"_

The words echoed throughout the hollowed area of the force in which he stood. Explosions all around him began to set off, condensing and imploding as each memory was lost and then found again. Each thought and feeling he could remember had combusted into flames. He reached his hands out through the force and could only manage to put out one fire at a time. In doing so, he was able to view prior memories for an instant before the flames took over again.

"_Anakin. I'm pregnant."_

The memory caught fire again. Vader tried to extinguish the thought, but it was too intense for him to bare alone. Just as he began to lower his hand to succumb to its power, a dark figure appeared at his side. It was his master, Darth Sidious.

"Must I do everything for you, my weak, insignificant little friend?" The faded image of his master announced as he began to twirl at blinding speeds, fully ending the blaze.

"No. You cannot be here. Your not real." Vader exclaimed as his own image began to fade. His helmet evaporated and his bionic limbs were lost, the darkness inside of him still present, but the dark figure that once stood proud reverted back to that of Anakin Skywalker.

"Inside the force, my young apprentice, you will see and hear things that have not yet taken place. No. I am not here." The Emperors voice said in a low gritty tone. "I am of your own doing. Your inner torment and your guard." He laughed sadistically. "I will not allow you to live your past again, my little friend. You must trust me. I am your only true friend. Don't you remember? You are _lord of the Sith. _The ender of life. Thousands have fallen to your power, and still yet thousands more must die at your hands. Trust me, my apprentice, you must choose."

Anakin Skywalker still resided somewhere hidden inside the sith lord. He could feel his presents. "Yes, my master." The image of himself as a boy said, bowing. "Anakin Skywalker is dead. You are all that there ever was."

He believed the words he just uttered. Yet, somehow, something inside of his mind felt otherwise. He remembered what love was…the Emperor could never take that away from him.

Vader stood up, fully cleaned of the doubt inside his mind. The darkness around him thickened and the fire intensified. He was Darth Vader again. The image of his master gleamed with joy like he'd ever seen before. At last, Vader felt at ease. Sidious put his hand upon Vader's shoulder and glared into his optical sensors. He'd gained the acceptance that he'd needed. It was truly all that he needed.

Inside the darkness flashed images of death and destruction. Every being Vader had murdered stood below him, gazing upward with blank stares. He was in his safe world. A place he felt comforted in; a world of death and carnage. He strode through the dead as a god. He felt like a _god. _

Hours past inside his realm of the force, allowing him to again relive all that he had lived since the creation of Darth Vader. Something was wrong. He could sense something on the horizon that didn't seem right. Just then, the image of his master disappeared and a massive ripple in the force, one he'd never felt before, erupted towards him. Knocking him off his feet, he quickly regained his footing and searched for the source of the explosion. He calmed himself and reached deeper into the force, allowing himself to be fully enveloped in hate and darkness. He found the source and opened his eyes. A bright light lay far in the distance of smoke and haze. It was a light similar to his own, but not as intense.

"Hmm. Interesting." Vader smiled on the inside for the first time in nearly 2 decades.


	3. Chapter 3

-1Chapter 3:

A Sith Rekindled

Kirra Cyph'La loomed in the shadows of her cramped laboratory on the far side of Naboo, checking and double checking medical Holoviewer screens in hopes of solving this medical break through she'd just witnessed. Not too far away on the other side of the already full room, Kif' Anderland sat immersed in total darkness, watching with complete trepidation.

"Their vital signs stabilized late last night. I am not at all sure of what to do. I did not expect anything like this to happen." Kirra stated with a gentle boom.

"Kirra, nobody would ever expect this to happen. It's almost unnatural…_it is unnatural._"

"Yes, but, we no longer have the facilities to handle this type of situation. This is a laboratory, not a Med-Bay."

Leaning against the green, stone wall, Kirra let out a deep sigh. She dipped her head low into her chest and allowed the filtered air to fill her lungs again. She frowned heavily.

"Kirra, our lack of accommodations is not what bothers me. The sudden stabilization of both of them, yet at the very same time, is what bothers me. And not only that, but who would have ever known a Zabrak would hold such a remarkable trait?" Kif' stood up from his uncomfortable chair and walked briskly to the opposite end of the darkened room, folding his hands behind his back in the process.

Two separate tanks standing side by side towered in front of Kif'. Each generously light from the inside, providing the needed artificial light for both units. The occasional bubble and skip of the heart beat monitor kept silence from overtaking the lab.

"Kif'. What if the Empire finds out about this? Maybe, if we let them know of our situation, they can find out how it all works and use it to end the need for bionic limbs. It could save million of lives."

"Unlikely." Kif' stated with little emotion. "I don't think this type of scenario would play out on any species. More over, I feel that gene splicing would be useless. Even if one could locate the gene that controls this regeneration, it's unlikely one would allow their DNA to be completely changed to that of a Zabrak. Their species is not compatible with any other known race…"

"I understand." Kirra said with a warm smile. "What do we do now?"

A long pause filled the room as both figures glared into the tanks that stood before them. Slightly bobbing up and down, both inhabitants remained unconscious, ignorant to the fact that they are still alive. The repetitive _bleeps_ that remained constant for nearly two decades had begun to change. Neither Kif' nor Kirra knew exactly what to do.

"…now we wait."

Morning came swiftly upon Naboo. The frigged air was deceptively contrasted by the blazing sun. The blue and yellow Citriani flowers blossomed around the small pavilion built nearly a thousand years prior. Made of light green stone, it glistened in the sun with an almost soothing pattern of sparkles. It was a beautiful day. The type of day Kirra would have taken holiday on if the present situation had not been so dire. She'd never been off-planet before; Naboo had been her home for nearly 30 standard years. Providing her with everything she would ever need; beautiful surroundings, a quiet lab to conduct her research…_Kif'. "I would be more than happy to remain here on Naboo with you, Kirra." _ The words echoed throughout here head since the very day Kif' Anderland uttered them.

Kirra had only been a child of 9 standard years when the droid invasion of her home world took place. Many small townships and villages had been ravaged by the battle droids, many innocent townsfolk died in the wake of armored tanks laying waste to anything in their path. Kirra wasn't old enough to fully understand the intentions of Nute Gunray and the even deep plot concocted by Sidious. However, she was old enough to understand death. It frightened her to the bone. So much so, that she focused her studies on biology and the study of organic health. Renowned as a "prodigy mind of science" she completed her apprenticeship studies on Naboo, and had been asked to join the Empire as a chief medical officer. She reluctantly declined. As she'd expected of the Empire, she was banished; never to have the distinct pleasure of working for the high Emperor, or for that matter, any other person in the entire galaxy. Her status as a scientist was revoked and her citizenship in the former Galactic Republic was on the fritz. Noobian's, however, were different. The entire planet took her under their wing and protected her from complete demise. Luckily, she had been as talented as everyone said she'd been. Referenced by a Noobian herself, Kif' Andlerland; an outcast of the galaxy as well, but also a brilliant scientist. Kirra was quickly offered a position as lead _Biokineticthermodynamics_; the study of biology after concussion and/or death. That was the "empire". Disobey, and one would quickly find a road leading to nowhere. Truly, a fate worse than death to some…to Kirra, a chance to prolong her citizenship in the galaxy.

A low intensity _beeping _inside Kirra's right ear broke her gaze upon the Royal Palace of Naboo's handcrafted lake. Standing alone, with only flower patches and small wildlife around her, she took one last look at the palace that laid far in the horizon and raised her finger to her ear.

"Good morning Kif'." Kirra gently announced, looking decadent in her light blue jump suit which blended perfectly with some of the surrounding flower groves.

"Good morning Kirra. I hope you slept well last night." The voice in her NCU replied. _Nano-Comm Unit_. She and Kif' had them installed inside their ear canals years ago to keep in contact with each other at all times. An expensive gift from Kif' for her birthday. It served as a personal contact device, as well as a device that would allow them to share information with each other in and out of their lab.

"Not a wink, Kif'." Kirra smiled warmly. "I'm afraid of what might happen to both of them if someone were to leak this situation to the empire. Worse yet, what they will do to us if they find out."

After a slight pause, Kif' replied with a laugh. "We really need to do something about this sleeping problem of yours. It's going to kill you soon enough."

"No worse than what the empire would do to me if they find out what happened last night."

"I know, Kirra. Which is why we must do everything we can to preserve their existence at all costs. I've been thinking. Maybe we can hand them over to the rebels. Their scientists might be able to sustain them much longer than we can, and quite possibly rekindle their lives.

"Is it worth the chance, Kif'?"

"I can't say for sure. Who knows who is monitoring transport ships these days. With all the routine checkpoints, it is unlikely we could hide them both."

"I think they should stay here, with us. If they were to ever wake up, just imagine how distraught they would be. Waking up to dozens of people around you would be very confusing. At least here, they would awake to find only the two of us. The psychological affects could be disastrous if life in the galaxy is shown to them so fast." Kirra sighed.

"Yes. Your right." A muffled sound came from Kif's side of the unit that sounded like a sneeze. "They should remain here. I am going to stop at the market to stock up on dried foods, just in case they do awake sometime soon. Would you like anything?"

"Oh yes." Kirra gleamed at the thought. "Noobian honey puffs, a lot of them."

Kif' laughed heavily and broke off just the same. "You got it."

Kirra was startled by what seemed to be Kif's Mag-Cycle backfiring, and in the process, she returned to her work inside the lab.

"Blast!" Kif' protested, kicking the side of his Mag-Cycle that he'd purchased well before the Clone Wars ever began. "I've got to fix this hunk-uh-junk sooner or later."

"That'll be the day…" Kirra spoke softly to herself, making sure Kif' couldn't hear her through the small open windows around the lab.

"Kirra. How are our patients doing this afternoon?" Kif' inquired, opening the cold, light metallic colored door to their lab.

"Very good, Kif'. Their vital signs have fully stabilized."

Kif' hesitated in his movement towards her, seemingly perplexed by her choice of words. "Completely stabilized, Kirra?"

"Well. They haven't woken up yet if that's what you mean. I doubt they will ever wake up. As it looks now, vital organ systems and some minor brain activity are slowly on the rise. But I fear they are not making enough progress to awaken any time this century." Kirra blinked.

"Yes, so it seems." Kif' stated, placing the bag of Noobian produce on the central stone table-top. "Well, at least I have some good news. I got you your honey puffs. At a very expensive price I might add."

Kirra's eyes light up with sheer joy as she dove into the bag Kif' had set down. "Thank you, Kif'. These are my favorite." Slurred and muffled, Kirra's words were completely unclear due to a mouth full food.

"Ya. I noticed that." Kif' mumbled, taking a few steps back. "Finish up, we've got work to do."

Kirra paused for a moment, allowing an odd expression to bellow over her demeanor. "Kif'. Do you remember the day we met?

"Well, yes, Kirra. Yes, I do." Kif' cocked his head a little to one side, raising an eyebrow in the process. "How could anyone forget that day?"

"Yes, but what details can you remember?" Kirra swallowed hard and reached for another honey puff.

"I remember it was the day of the attack on the Royal Palace. It was your first day of apprenticeship inside her majesties royal laboratories." Kif' laughed tenderly at the thought. "You must have been 9, maybe 10 years old."

"And you, exactly 16."

"Ya. I guess your right, I'd completed my training as a lead biologist and had been given the option of mentoring an apprentice. I never thought it would have been the great Kirra Cyph'La: The prodigy mind of science." Kif's smile began to slowly fade into a frown. Eye's narrowing, and allowing his head to fall into his chest, he recalled the more important details of that day.

"I remember endless piles of battle droids scattered around the palace stacked a Wookies height high. I remember seeing fires erupt from precision blaster bolt fire, searing through electrical outlets and security nodes. I knew we had to do something to save ourselves. Queen Amidala seemed to be able to take care of herself, so an attempt to get her to safety was out of the question. "

"Thanks to that pair of Jedi. I don't think she would have lasted long without them."

"Ya. She got lucky. If they hadn't been there, she would have been executed on the spot. Although, the older Jedi didn't seem to have the same luck as the queen. I remember taking you by the hand, running as fast as we could to the lower parts of the palace. I figured, maybe if we'd gotten far enough, we could climb down one of the deep mining pits and ride things out."

"The image of that Jedi being killed by the Zabrak Jedi still haunts me." Kirra shifted in her cushioned seat, fumbling one of her honey puffs to the green-stone floor.

" At least he had the dignity to stab him once and leave it at that. At least…at least he didn't slash at him multiple times. It seemed like he had some sense of honor. It was a good death."

Finishing her last honey puff, Kirra stood up, wiping her mouth with her hand. "Unnecessary to me, Kif'. I'll never understand why anyone has to die."

The duo met arm in arm and made their way towards the well light portion of the lab. In the southwest corner stood two separate tanks, each housing the separate Zabrak. Slightly bobbing up and down, it almost seemed serene to the pair.

"We never made it to the pits in time. Security sensors were tripped by the droids and all doors would soon be locked. The only option we had was to make it to a well barricaded room. Security Box 901; the only "room" for nearly a mile. That is where we viewed the fight between the three Jedi on a security screen, right?"

"901, I'll never forget it."

"Anyway. The older Jedi was killed, and ironically, the younger Jedi ends up killing the Zabrak." Kif' broke off for a moment, realizing the error in his choice of words. "Well, supposedly killed. Technically, it was a fatal blow. So it seems, one needs to inflict massive trauma to the brain of a Zabrak to fully kill him. Decapitation, disintegration, or a direct blaster bolt to the head is the only real way to kill a Zabrak. They seem to go into a state of hibernation even after such a horrendous wound is taken."

"Taking nearly 20 years to fully regenerate, too. And they might as well be dead now. At the rate their brain activity is increasing, you and I will be long gone before it's completed."

"We can only hope for a miracle." Kif' said, gazing into the tanks just as he'd done for nearly 20 standard years past.

"It was a miracle that we found this Zabrak alive." Kirra paused. "Unconscious, but _alive._"

"The mining pit he fell in is 5 kilometers deep. It was connected to coves all around the royal lake. He was caught in an updraft and impaled by an optical sensor. His lower half, however, fell to the bottom of the pit and nearly shattered in the water."

"We had to steal that broken down mining tank just to make sure the Zabrak might have survived, didn't we?"

"Yes. We did." Kif' laughed out loud. "I am not at all sure of how that thing stood in one piece. Luckily, we all survived. And we found his lower half the next day, floating in the royal lake."

"Kif'. It's a miracle we found him, isn't it?"

"I would say so."

Kirra took a step closer, placing her hand on the tank with the Zabrak that had tattoos and larger horns inside. " Iridonians cremate their dead as part of a ceremonial custom. They've kept this custom for thousands of years, how could any of them have known they can regenerate in this manner?"

"I doubt any Zabrak was kept alive and fed nutrients, well after being mortally wounded and pronounced dead for that matter. This Zabrak…" Kif' shook his head gently. "_They _got lucky."

The _beeping _of both Zabrak's heart monitors were in perfect unison, never skipping a beat since the lower portion of the original fully regenerated into a separate Zabrak nearly 5 years prior. Two of the same being stood in front of them, helpless and ignorant to all life around them. Nearly two decades had past since that tragic day in the Royal Palace. The Force had guided Maul to safety. One couldn't say it was only luck that sparred him, it was the Force.

"Kirra. We may have to go to the Rebels for aid. You were right in saying we no longer have the facilities to house them both. I'll have to find transport to…"

Kif' was interrupted by something he'd never expected to happen. Lunging at him, the once little girl he'd known nearly his entire life, draped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

"Don't go. Please don't go."

Kif's heartbeat intensified as his eyes locked with Kirra's. "_She had golden brown eyes?" _Kif' asked himself. That was his _favorite _color. He'd never noticed it before, although it had always been there in front of him.

"Kirra. I never knew. Why didn't you say anything?"

"How could I, Kif'? _Work before pleasure. _That's what you always say, right?"

"Oh, Kirra. If I'd have known…" Kif's eyes began to swell.

Embracing each other like never before, both allowed smiles to pass across their faces like never before. _I love you… _It rung throughout both of their minds.

"Maybe this is just what we need. We can find transport to a better facility, together. We can work on both of our friends here, together, because there has only been us…and it is all we need." Tears streamed down Kirra's face, mixing with the minute powder marks trailed from the Noobian honey puffs.

"It sounds like a plan." Kif' desperately tried to lighten the mood with humor: A trait he rarely shown to anyone. "First thing tomorrow? How's that sound?"

Kirra shook her head up and down in a blur, allowing an even more intense smile to flash across her face. "I love Naboo, Kif', I love everything here. The flowers; my work, the market…and you."

"Do I have to say it, too?" Kif' raised an eyebrow.

"Not if you don't want to. But I know you do."

"Your right, was it that obvious in all these years? I hadn't noticed you cared so much until…"

Kif' was interrupted by a sound he never had expected to hear. Overpowering the sound of their heartbeats, the _beeping _of the duel heart monitors became erratic and extensive. 4 sets of hearts beating with such an intensity, one would not be able to discern which heart beat belonged to whom. Kirra and Kif' exchanged bewildered looks. Oxygen bubbled heavily from the sides of both Zarbrak's oxygen masks, quickly filling the tanks with thick foam. Both Noobian's thrashed their heads towards the tanks in attempt to see what just happened.

"Kif'! What is going on?" Kirra grasped him tightly on the arm.

"I don't know, Kirra. No. _It can't be. They are waking up!_"

Both individuals could feel their own heart beats inside their ears. Seemingly, more intensely than the irregular beating of both Zabrak.

Subsiding slowly, the Zabrak heartbeats slowed and began to stabilized. Through the thick foam and bubbles, both Noobian's pressed their face against the tank transparasteel to view it's inhabitants. Their stomachs dropped in unison to the sight before them. Blood began to flow into their faces, and a cold sensation ran throughout their bodies. Past the thicket of bubbles, illuminated by the artificial light, two pairs of glowing red eyes opened one after another…and glared directly at them.


	4. Chapter 4

-1Chapter 4:

Through the Will of the Force…

"Kif!" Kirra screamed at the top of her lungs, attempting to rouse her companion back into reality. "Let them out, they are going hurt themselves."

"Uhh. Right." Kif' said, bluntly, after a short pause and a shake of the head.

Both Mauls continued to trash relentlessly inside their separate tanks. Struggling to break free of the tubing and oxygen lines, the Maul with shorter horns, free of tattoos, managed to snap one of his vital lifelines. Oxygen began to pour into his tank, quickly raising the water pressure to unstable levels. The already thick foam inside his tank strengthened many times over, causing it's inhabitant to become completely shrouded in it's wake.

"_No! He's going to kill himself!" _Kif' blasted the words out as loud as he could, startling Kirra in the process.

"Kif'! What is that one doing?" Kirra backed away from the tank in front of her.

"I…I don't know." Kif' watched as the water inside one of the tanks violently stirred from side to side. The Maul enveloped in bubbles summoned a much force power as he could, force pushing and pulling in attempt to free himself.

The Maul with larger horns quickly stopped trashing once he caught sight of what stood next to him. Discerning exactly what the situation was, he calmed himself using the power of the Sith. Becoming one with the dark side of the force, the original Maul motioned for the two beings outside of his tank to help his counterpart. Tapping the side of the tank closest to his opposite, it was clear what he had intended the pair to do.

"Kif'. This one is trying to tell us something." Kirra stumbled toward the submissive Maul's tank, almost knocking Kif' over in the process.

"Kirra. He wants us to help this one, first. Hit that red switch on the wall, next to the Medical Node."

Perplexed and completely lost, Kirra motioned with her hands in bewilderment. "Where, Kif'! I don't see it!"

Kirra, again, was startled by a pounding emanating from inside one of the tanks. She quickly spun on her heels to find the calmed Maul pointing to the location of the red switch. Mirroring the direction with her fingers, she quickly spotted the switch Kif' had intended her to flip.

"Kirra! What are you waiting for? _Move it!" _

Running at full speed, Kirra slammed into the stone wall on the opposite side of the room, accidentally activating the red switch in route. "Got it!" Kirra said, sliding down along side the laboratory wall, reaching the cold floor with a _thud._

Water slowly escaped from both inhabited tanks, gushing out from duel pipes leading outside. Still trashing like a wild Bantha, the Zabrak managed to punch a hole in the transparasteel, brutally cutting his hand in the attack. After realizing he'd completely lost the ability to use his hand, he began to attack the tank from the inside with all free limbs.

"Kirra! Are you okay?" Kif' jerked his as he desperately tried to stop water from pouring out of the overhead pipes.

"Ya!" Kirra gurgled. "I'm fine…"

"Hey! Calm down or your going to hurt yourself, further!" Kif's attempt to reprimand the Zabrak was futile.

The more mature looking Maul understood this situation perfectly. That was his counterpart, trashing like a wild animal. He'd seen his failed attempt to escape and decided to take more efficient means of release. Calmly unhinging his oxygen mask and gently pulling out his lifelines, he used the force to pry open his tank lock. With a _snap _and a _screech_, the metallic lock imploded on itself and fell to the floor.

"Do not touch him." The original Maul calmly stated, slowly pushing the tank door open with one hand. "I will deal with him."

Kif' felt his stomach drop into his feet and a strange feeling washed over his soul. "Uh. Ya. Ok." He blinked rapidly.

Kif' let go of the pipe he'd been clutching in attempt to stop the gushing water. Racing toward Kirra, who sat on the opposite side of the room,. Covered in blood that emanated from her mouth, Kif' slide to her aide. "Kirra! Are you alright?"

"Yes, Kif'. I'm fine. I just sliced my lower lip a little. It's nothing too bad." Kirra looked up at Kif', who'd already begun to cry, and joined him with her own tears.

Both Kirra and Kif' sat on the cold, stone floor, watching the drenched Zabrak loom in front of his counterpart. He paced back and forth, finally making eye contact with his other half. Reaching deep inside the dark side of the Force, Maul attempted to calm his brother. The words echoed throughout the confused and petrified Zabrak, still stuck and bleeding heavily. "Calm yourself, brother. These people do not mean to harm us." The water pouring from the overhead pipes swirled with blood, causing Kirra to become nauseous at the sight. The feared she would pass out from her own blood loss soon, as well as the sight of the flooded, blood-red water that engulfed the laboratory floor.

"_What…what am I_?" The trashing Zabrak announced in a harsh, gritty tone.

"This isn't real! Where am I!" The words reverberated inside the tank, causing the auditory illusion of a giant voice speaking.

"That does not matter. Calm yourself, brother."

The trashing Zabrak gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, causing more blood to spurt out of his wounded hand. With a slight _sigh _of pain, he fell to his knees and slipped into unconsciousness again, never allowing himself time to remove his arm from the tank wall…a violent _snap _could be heard from meters away. Kirra covered her face, dipping low into Kif's arms at the sound of the Zabrak's arm cleanly breaking in two.


	5. Chapter 5

-1Chapter 5:

Sith Training

Darth Vader stood before the newly assembled TF-131 Assault Droid, light saber active and ready, waiting patiently for it's first attack to ensue. The droids photoreceptors seemingly glowed in perfect contrast to the surrounding white room. It's brightly polished Durochrome elegantly reflected white in a complete 360 degree radius; it blended into the walls like a camouflaged sniper in thickets of Kashyyyk. Vader, however, stuck out like a soar thumb. Black cape and all, the TF-131 didn't need visuals to spot the Sith. It's senor hub, located on the back of it's IG-88 model head, passed sensor sweeps of the surrounding area in intervals of 5 milliseconds. Any other being wouldn't stand a chance against this monstrosity of a droid. The bounty hunter Jango Fett had been known to slay Jedi with his precision pistols…if he'd been able to make quick work of a Jedi, than surely this droid could do just the same. _And it could._ The droid rarely missed it's target, as it had proven so against the Rebels on numerous occasions. The Rebellion had dubbed this tyrant "_The Demon of the Empire._". Deployed well before the preliminary testing stage was completed, it proved it's value to the Emperor many times over. Although, not even the Emperor had enough credits to continue manufacturing the TF series assassin droids. Costing nearly a trillion credits to produce a single unit, the TF series had been scrapped by order of the Emperor…but not before Vader could get his mechanized hands on a few units for his own pleasure. Used in training, the TF series provided Vader with the only physical challenge in the entire galaxy.

Vader inched forward, raising his crimson saber toward the TF-131, never diverting his ominous gaze away from his assailant.

In a blur, the TF-131 dropped to it's metallic knees with a _clang, _barrel rolling to it's left hand side. Blaster in hand, low to the glowing-white floor, it fired a volley of a dozen bolts straight for Vader's faceplate. It would have spelled instant death for most, but Vader was different. The dark side of the force flowed freely throughout his body, ultimately guiding him in evasion. Not wanting the battle to end to abruptly, Vader deflected the bolts towards the right and left hand sides of the TF-131.

"Very good, master." The TF droid spoke in a warped Battle Droid-like voice. "But you surely can't survive this next attack."

Vader loomed only a few meters away from the crouching droid, mimicking the low lined form a spider droid takes before an attack. Ready to pounce at any moment, the TF-131 laughed its insidious, mechanized laugh, befuddling Vader in the process.

"_I do not remember programming the TF-131 with psychological battle tactics_." Vader though to himself, allowing a slight smirk to creep across his veiled countenance. "_Rea'Lien, he must have installed this new function in my absence."_

Snapping back into reality, Vader set his sights on the droid that lay in front of him, allowing the force to fully envelope his senses. It whispered to him, as the dark side always had done so in the past. It spoke in lies, as it had done to all Sith before him. The dark side was not so easily manipulated as the lighter sides of the force, but rather, more detailed than broad; as the lighter sides had never been. Bending to the will of its user, the Jedi neglected the darker regions of space and time, thus, allowing the dark side to grow inside that of a few instead of many. To a Jedi master, one such as Master Yoda, or in a time, Obi-wan Kenobi, the force spoke with an elegant yet flawless tone. One could not ever misinterpret the guidance it offered, as it clearly channeled sensations that could, in turn, clearly be reinterpreted as spoken words. _Danger is near, be cautious and mindful of your surroundings. _In drastic situations, a Jedi would sense highlighted areas of space, and simply avoid it, or perhaps, activate his or her light saber; guiding it to the initially highlighted area of danger. _Raise your weapon to this point in space. Slightly pivot to your left and strike. _And in doing so, effortlessly deflect a string of blaster bolts, or even other light saber attack. This is how the Jedi operated, this is how they interpreted the will of the force. Little known to most Jedi, even some Jedi masters, the dark side of the force worked in an entirely different context.

The Dark side of the force was, and had always been, a complete and utter lie. As the force speaks truth to the Jedi, it in turn speaks lies to the Sith. _Trust none other than yourself, as you are master of the force, not the force the master of you. _Sith do not trust in the force; they only trust in themselves. The dark side indeed spoke to them, but rarely spoke the truth. As it was a Sith's true mission to interpret the lies as what ever they willed…and that would be the final outcome. _You cannot win, this Jedi will kill you. If you evade now, you will die. Do not attack from above, you will meet your demise. _These were interpreted sensations all Sith feel…and all Sith are trained to under no circumstances, trust in what the force would tell you. _In doing what you, a component of the Sith, feels is right, you will break the force, allowing your sensations to speak to it, coaxing the force into bending to your will. _

"_You control it completely, not it you. Do not trust in the force, let it trust you." _Those had been the words of all Sith Lords since their creation. "_Live by these words, and your counter to the Jedi will be strong._"

Darth Vader knew these words well. He lived by them, traversing on a parallel tangent to them at all times. What made him different from all other Sith before him was that his path into darkness, his stride into the infinite oasis of despair, had been paved by an attempted act of good. Padme was his reason for turning. In attempt to save her, to protect her from a treasonous death, Anakin had stumbled into blackness…and was unable to find a visible exit.

The TF-131 bleeped in satisfaction as is pounced high into towards the ceiling. Although nothing more than a droid, it knew it could defeat the cloaked figure that stood before it. The countdown began.

"_This droid is beginning to bore me. I have work to do; I will make quick work of this insignificant trash heap_." Vader thought to himself just as the self destruct sequence had initiated on the TF-131s rear touch screen panel.

_10..._

_9..._

_8..._

_7..._

Vader deactivated his light saber at the sight of this attempted attack of lunacy. " _Rea'Lien, you've done well_." Vader spoke gently to himself.

Just as effortlessly as the deactivation of his light saber, Vader called upon the dark side of the force. It overtook him, speaking to him as it had done to all Sith prior to himself. Summing a small amount of it in his fist, Vader lifted the TF-131 into the processed air, and had begun to slam him, relentlessly and repeatedly, into the training room floor. Metal shards and what were now spare parts were flung in every direction. Any other being would have found it humorous to see the droid bash into the floor at such an intense speed…but this droid was a _killer_. It truly deserved the worst "death" one could imagine.

"All too easy." Vader said, pivoting as he strode out of Training Room 799. Closing with a _whoosh, _Rea' Lien could spot what used to be a complete bodied droid through the blast doors…

"Record time, my master. Well done." Rea'Lien spoke in a humored tone.

"I must congratulate you, 'Lien. You have done well. I did not anticipate such drastic tactics to be used against me…I shall not make that same mistake twice."

"Thank you, my master. It took nearly the entire duration of your leave to program the TF-131. I may be getting a little rusty."

Vader breezed past his red guards, keeping a moderate pace as the trio strode together. " I will no longer require your services for the day, you both may return to your quarters."

Bowing in perfect unison, both men replied. "Yes, my master."


	6. Chapter 6

-1Chapter 6:

Brothers in Arms

"So, who are you?" Kirra gently stated to the pacing Zabrak, who'd been looming over his unconscious counterpart for nearly a standard hour.

"It is none of your concern." Maul declared, never averting his gaze upon his secondary.

Confused, Kirra shook her head. "Well. Excuse me. I only wished to know who I've been keeping _alive _for the past two decades. It would only seem fair to…"

Kirra was interrupted by a sharp nudge into her side. "Easy, easy." Kif' said. "They both had a rough time, I am sure it's been confusing for him. Maybe it is better he figures it out for himself."

Maul slowed, finally breaking visual contact with his injured twin. "I..I thank you for your services, but they may no longer be required."

"…your welcome." Kirra replied after a short pause.

"So what now, Zabrak? You and your friend here are free to stay with us, or if you feel it right, you of course, may leave." Kif' folded his arms across his chest and flexed slightly.

The laboratory had been completely demolished. Data-pads lay in every corner of the water soaked room, and worse; annual reports that were saved inside the central computer had been fried. Sloshing around in roughly a half a foot of dingy water, Kirra and Kif' watched Maul continue his pacing of the area.

"A complete loss." Kirra said. "What a tragedy."

Maul stopped all movement, much to the surprise of the Noobian pair. Diverting his now passive gaze upon them, he spoke gentle words. "I am sorry for damaging your work. My brother and I will do what we can to repair the damages."

"We most certainly will need your help…thank you." Kif' nodded sluggishly. "And what about your brother, there? What of him?" He gestured towards the unconscious Maul that lay flat upon Kirra's work desk.

"My _brother _will awaken soon," Maul said harshly. "It will not be safe for either of you to be near by when he fully awakens."

"Well, you don't have to tell us twice." Kif' stated, humorously.

Kif' picked Kirra up by the arm as each made their way towards the exit. Staggering slightly, Kirra summoned as much strength as she could to grip Kif', making sure she didn't slip, face first, into the filthy flooring.

"No matter what you hear, do not aide me." Maul crossed his own hands over his chest.

Kirra raised her hand over her eyes in attempt to block the piercing sunlight. Still quite frigged, Naboo had been blanketed by a most welcomed sunlight covering. She rubbed her cheek with her free hand, forcing blue and purple skin to fade into a healthy olive.

"Oh Kif', this is absolutely crazy. We don't have the facilities to house them both. What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, I wish I had the answers for you…but I just…I just don't." Kif' dropped his head deep into his chest, slightly coughing as he breathed in faintly cold air. He _sighed_.

"I don't think it will be safe to hand them over to the Rebels. Just imagine what they might do to him."

"Do you think they would…" Kif' broke off, also raising his hand to his brow in the process. "…do you think they would hurt them?"

Kirra replied harshly and almost immediately. "Oh no. I think the Rebels may want to study them. Initially, rekindling the Jedi. What better way to fight the Empire than to have the entire Rebel collective become force sensitive…it would surely be the end of the Empire."

"Wouldn't that be something." Kif' added, hesitantly.

"Kif', we're going to have to make our way to Coruscant. You know this, right?"

Kif' stood next to Kirra near the edge of their small flower patch, both staring into the distant sky. Now brightly light with a golden yellow hue, the Noobian sun had light the entire hemisphere with an almost celestial luminescence. On the horizon, one could see specs of moving cruisers and Mag-lift transports, each tending to their daily activities. A rare few out of the thousands of moving transports reflected light from the sun. And in turn, one couldn't help but to imagine them as fallen stars, flickering at the end of what may be, or what not come to pass. Either way, from their point of view, the bustling horizon was as beautiful a sight as any a galactic being had ever seen.

"They seem so small from here, don't they?" Kif' whispered into the cool air. "Almost makes a person want to lift off the ground and fly off to some galaxy far, far away."

"One can only dream, Kif'" Kirra smile, gently. "As long as I can come with you…"

"If you let me borrow your extra pair of wings, I'll scoop you off your feet…and we can fly there…together."

Kirra blinked unhurriedly, gripping Kif' a little tighter by the arm. "I'd like that very much, Kif'."

"So. Coruscant, huh?" Kif' swung his free arm over Kirra's back. "I've never been there during the colder months. The Galactic Core isn't usually a place I like to be when it's cold."

"Coruscant doesn't get as cold as you'd think. The planets star is so big, it has enough energy to warm the entire sector. Even during the colder months, it's sun provides an abundant source of heat."

"Hmm…sounds great." Kif' smiled, nodding as he closed his eyes, trying to visualize what the Core was like in the colder season.

"I have a contact on Coruscant. He may be able to provide transport to the Rebel center, wherever it may be. The problem in this scenario is that he doesn't make his rounds on Coruscant for another standard season. We can stay here for a few more months, but after that, we have to go."

"Sounds like a plan." Kif' stated in his scruffy, yet intuitive voice. "Plenty of time to enjoy the local wildlife…wouldn't you say?"

Kirra chuckled.

Startled by a loud _thud_, the pair diverted their gaze upon each other and looked in the direction of the laboratory.

"What the heck was that?" Kif' declared, loudly. A small amount of panic flooded into them both.

"I think our other friend has just woken up." Kirra grasped Kif' by the shirt and took a few steps backwards.

The laboratory windows, a dozen in all, each located every arms length away from one another, exploded in perfect unison. Kif' swung Kirra with all his might in attempt to block debris from hitting her. Small explosions began to set off inside the lab, as one would ascertain the source of the explosions to be each Medical Node being tossed into the stone walls. Black smoke began to pour out of each broken window and settled an Bantha's height above the green stone-rooftop. _Grunts _and _Umphs _echoed inside the small laboratory every few moments. _Smacks _and _crashes_ took place nearly every standard second.

"What are they doing in there?" Kif' stated, dumbfounded by the intensity of the battle that seemed to be taking place inside.

_Crash_

"Oh my star fighter. What was that?" Kirra jerked her head and almost fell backwards into the flower grove behind her.

Shaking her head, she had noticed a large crack in the solid stone wall. Inflicted by something, or someone, being hurled into it from the inside. Dust and small debris fell to the grass below, scaring the small Noobian wildlife away in all directions.

"Great mother of all blasters, what in the Emperors name…?" Kif' passed a blank stare upon Kirra. Both had been completely thunderstruck by the sudden arrival of this situation.

Amidst the ruckus of _clashes _and _wallops_, the duo could make out faint speech. In a language Kirra nor Kif' could make out, but had come to the obvious decision that the spoken words had been Iridonian.

More _thumps _and _smacks _echoed throughout the surrounding area, causing all life around the laboratory, including the Noobian pair, to become repellant towards the vicinity. And just as suddenly as what seemed to be an all out fistfight between two unseen Zabrak, it had ended just as abruptly. An eerie silence took over the space around the tightly cuddling Noobians, each slightly shuddering in complete horror of what could lay behind the laboratory doors.

A hand emerged from behind the lab doorway, slowly and painstakingly pushing it open. Staggering, and leaving a bloody hand print on the side of the door, the tattooed Maul continued to limp as he made his way toward the couple.

Maul had never looked worse, and he felt just the same. His left shoulder hung low as his right hand clasped it erect. Bleeding slightly from one eye, he inched away from the laboratory entrance, dipping lower and lower as he made his way closer to the duet. Seemingly sinking into the grass and flower patch, his legs had begun to give out, completely. He fell to his knees and allowed the frightful unknown to pass over himself once again.


	7. Chapter 7

-1Chapter 7:

A Heated Discussion

" Well, well." The scruffy voice echoed throughout the water soaked laboratory. "Looks like the one with larger horns woke up first. Guess that means I'm 500 credits richer."

Kirra pasted a disgusted look in the direction of Kif', who'd been standing one of the four darkened corners or the lab. "I wasn't going to pay you anyways, I don't have that kind of credit. If I had, I wouldn't be here now would I?"

"Guess not. But hey, it's the thought that counts, right?"

"Are you alright?" Kirra gently asked the battered Zabrak who lay peacefully on her desktop. Mauls eyes were half open and showing signs of wiriness. Kirra hesitated to ask. "Are you in pain?"

"Of course he is." Kif' rudely interrupted. "He just kicked the Jawa sticks out of his twin there, or vice versa as it seems."

Maul let out a muffled sound similar to the sound one would make when being punched in the gut. Clenching his eyes and raising his head, he spoke.

"My brother, is he well?"

"No better than you I would say. You both took a nasty beating. Just rest now, your safe here." Kirra caressed the side of Mauls tattooed face, gently easing him into a heightened period of R.E.M. sleep.

"I hope the other one wakes up as pleasantly as this one did. Just what do we call that other one anyway, Zabrak 2?" Kif' arched the corner of his mouth, knowing this was no time for jokes.

"My Lord, the Emperor has just arrived and requests your presence, immediately in the main chamber." Rea' Lien proclaimed, entering the posterior observation deck of the Alpha wing of the Death Star.

Vader stood before the transparasteel window that stretched nearly the length of a Star Cruiser; he blended perfectly into the looming blackness of space. Arms folded across his chest plate, Vader made no gesture to signify he'd noticed Rea' Liens words.

"My lord?" Lien spoke hesitantly.

"Yes, I am aware of the request." Vader continued his gaze upon the planet that lay outside the view port window. Mustafar; a planet that held something Vader long sought to acquire. He'd ordered the Death Star to change location nearly two standard days prior, directly disobeying the orders his master had given him. He would surely be punished for this act of insolence…but Vader no longer cared. For nearly half a lifetime, something had been slowly eating away at his soul. Something he could not explain, yet, never fully acknowledged…until recently. The wasteland planet of Bel' izod was to become another test site for the Death Stars main weaponry. Moving the Death Star even after the Emperor directly forbid it…Vader never gave it a second thought. The punishment for disobeying would be countered with a great reward.

"Shall I inform the Emperor that you are unavailable?"

"You will do nothing of the kind. You may wait outside until I see fit." Vader waved his hand, calling on the force to nudge Rea'Lien backwards out of the massive observation deck.

Long ago, in the times of the Old Republic, Sith Lords were known to impose the dark side of the force directly into objects, or even a given area of space. Used as a place to replenish the dark side within, Sith would venture to these sacred placed in hopes of rekindling their darkness. Vader believed that during his battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi on the surface of Mustafar, he'd unintentionally done the same. It had become a place where the dark side flowed freely, a place where negative energy was free to roam as it pleased. There was only one other area in the universe that held this type of energy; the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. He dared not set bionic boot in that sector ever again…it housed memories he did not want to relive. He needed to get as close as possible to bask in the darkness of Mustafar. Deep inside his soul, Vader knew something was not right. He knew he'd been struggling too hard with a force he cannot deny, nor had the power to defeat alone. The rage that Anakin Skywalker imparted onto the surface of Mustafar would be the refreshment Darth Vader had needed…or at least…he hoped.

"Lord Vader." Fully cloaked and immersed in complete shadow, with sharp, blazing yellow eyes, the Emperor violently pounded his chair, standing up in the process. "You disobeyed a direct order. I trust you will never again make such a vast mistake ever again."

Vader hadn't even fully entered the massive chamber before his master boomed in anger. He dismissed Rea'Lien and the other guard to wait outside. The pathway form the blast doors to the Emperors raised chair was nearly 40 meters. Slightly raised upon a platform set after an incline of a dozen steps, he stood with fists clenched and a tight jaw. All Vader's optical sensors could pick up were his masters eyes, glowing that familiar fiery yellow he'd come to respect.

The observation deck the Emperor resided on was nearly twice the size of the one Vader had just left. The only light it offered was cast by distant starlight. Mustafar gave off a slight glow that only Vader's optical bionics could pick up, but it too offered no extra lighting in this colossal area. View port windows stretched for nearly 2 kilometers, each a Calamari Cruisers height high and were separated by blackened-metal dividers. I small computer station resided at the right hand side of the cloaked, former senator. It also gave off a soft glow upon the Emperor, adding to the daunting, bloodcurdling effect radiating from his highness.

Passing Bos' Iluminae and Frask Kildener, the Emperors personal Red Guards, Vader picked up his pace ever so slightly, as it was his way of signifying he was in a hurry. At long last, he'd finally reached the bottom of the stairway that lead to the Emperor himself. Kneeling on one foot with a _clang_, Vader let out one last depressurizing breath of processed air.

"What is thy bidding, my master."

"I cannot stress the amount of impudence you have shown. Upon my recent arrival to the Death Star, I come to find you had taken the liberty of moving it's location to the tune of nearly two dozen parsecs. You will explain yourself, my young apprentice." The Emperor ended his sentence in a slow and sluggish manner, nearly interrupting Vader's original greeting.

"My master, I apologize for any…inconvenience I may have caused you. I felt it necessary to move the location of the Death Star to the Mustafar system." Vader stood up casually, almost dismissing his masters anger.

After an extendedly long pause, one that would make even the most powerful Jedi master cringe in trepidation, he spoke one solemn word in the lowest tone imaginable. "Why…"

"I feel it is none of your concern, my master. It will not affect your plans to test the Death Stars main weaponry. It will only delay them a short time." Vader crossed his arms over his chest and breathed heavily.

"…What did you say?" The dark figure leaned forward in his chair, slightly turning his head as if to better hear what Vader would reply. Now half immersed in darkness and light, Vader could make out the features of his master with very well. He was grinning.

"I do not feel it necessary to inform you, my master. As you most certainly already know."

"Impudent fool. _I _deem what is necessary and what is not. You will obey _me _or suffer the consequences."

Vader dropped his arms to his side and stepped forward. He pointed his gloved finger in the direction of his master, raising his voice to an intense boom. "I am not your slave, I am your apprentice. You will treat me with respect or you will no longer have an apprentice to train. Do you understand, old man."

Vader let his finger linger in the air for slightly longer than he felt comfortable. He watched as his masters eyes faded from a bright yellow to complete blackness. Vader knew what was about to happen, and he never felt more ready for this moment.

In a blinding fit of rage, the Emperor darted off his chair and down the stairway, faster than Vader's optical sensors could keep up with. The Imperial Chair had been demolished by the Emperor's conjuring of the force. Before Vader knew what had hit him, his master pounced on him, ready to knock him into the next galaxy.

"You little, insignificant droid. I will teach you what it means to disobey me."

Vader felt a searing pain in his side, progressively taking notice to the fact that his master had literally punched through his armor. He had been taken by surprise by the speed of the former senator, but had been just as quick to react. In the very instant the Emperor had retracted his fist from his side, Vader grabbed his masters wrist. He began to squeeze it with incredible pressure. Lifting his master in the air and gradually increasing his grip on him, he stared into his masters now human-like eyes. He saw something he'd never seen in his master before. Something that he never expected to see, let alone actually get to witness first hand. His master, the Emperor of the entire Galaxy, the most feared soul in the universe, was in fact a scared, old man.

"You _are _my master, but you will never again disrespect me." Vader loosened his grip on the supposed "darkest of the Sith", only to find that the Red Guard was charging him. With no motions of any kind, Darth Vader flattened both guards to the floor with the force, killing them instantly.

"You will…you will release me at once!" The Emperor struggled, flailing his body in attempt to free himself.

"You will never again treat me as an inferior. You will…" Vader was cut off from his sentence by a sharp kick to the faceplate. An old man he indeed was, but more agile than anyone in the entire galaxy. It nearly knocked Vader unconscious, as the Emperor called on as much force power as he could to inflict the most damage. Vader stumbled backwards and regained his composure, but to no avail. As a crimson light saber was already at his throat, hissing and sizzling, seemingly itching to sear him apart.

"You underestimate my power, Lord Vader. As I too, underestimated yours." Palpatine retracted his saber and fitted it back into its hilt. "We must stop this foolish nonsense. I have more pressing matters to attend to. I promise you, Lord vader, if you ever disobey me again, I will kill you."

"I…" Vader's re-breather was severely damaged. He struggled to allow the words to flow out properly. "I…understand, my master."

"Good, good. Now that we understand each other, you may go fix yourself. There is a new medi-droid in the Gamma wing. Perhaps you should go there…" The Emperor slung his arm over Vader's shoulder.

"Yes…my master."

"You may also take your new ship down to the surface of Mustafar at your leisure. Remain there for as long as you need. In the mean time, I must return to Coruscant, I have new business there." Flashing a generous smile, he motioned for Vader to exit the chamber.

"Yes…my master." Vader bowed despite the intense pain in his side. He watched his master elegantly climb the staircase and hover over the computer node. He pivoted, and proceeded to exit the chamber, limping and holding his side with his bionic hand along the way. Nearing the half way point to the exit, he came across the Red Guards bodies, immersed in a pool of blood that spread in a 5 meter diameter. Calling on all the force left in his body, Vader shot upwards nearly 10 meters in an arc over the blood pool. His cape bellowed in the processed air and came to slowed fall in conjunction with the rest of his mechanized body. He'd cleared the pool of blood with the elegance of a Twi'lek ballet dancer.

The chambers blast doors retracted with a _whoosh_, and closed just as quickly.

Palpatine lingered for a moment, as to make sure his apprentice was truly gone. He fell, slumping over the computer node, pressing random buttons. By the will of the force, he'd somehow managed to initiate the medical emergency switch. Echoing through the chamber, the voice of a medi-droid came over the intercom. "My lord, are you alright? Do you need assistance?"

The figure that had once again fallen into the shadows of the chamber, eerily light by the computer nodes yellow and red glowing buttons, he replied. "Yes…yes. Send a disposal droid as well. Contact Tarkin and have him reinstate the IG series combat training droids. Inform him to spare no expense."

"Yes, my lord. Right away."

"Good…good." Palpatine gripped his wrist gently.


	8. Chapter 8

-1Chapter 8: We Are Sith No More

Maul sluggishly awoke to the sound of dimmed laughter, echoing throughout his ears. He knew he was back in reality and out of his dreamscape. Somewhat refreshed, he struggled slightly to sit upright, hoping off the desk with a _splash_.

He'd noticed that something was severely wrong with his shoulder. It hung low and needed to be held up by his free arm to ease the pain. Before he could ask himself what had happened, the memories flowed back into his mind. He took it upon himself to study the surrounding area of the lab; taking notice to the mass damage that had been inflicted on the walls. He remembered again, catching a glimpse of his tattooed face in the water soaked floor in the process.

"…_did I do this?" _Maul asked himself, allowing the words to reverberate inside his head like turbo blast fire.

"Ah. There he is." Kif' stood up, offering the battered Zabrak a place at the breakfast table. "Please, sit."

"Yes. Please, sit. Eat something, you must be starved." Kirra smiled.

"I…I thank you for your kindness." Maul eyed the third figure already sitting at the table, gorging on alien foods.

"Oh." Kif' said laughing. "Don't worry about him, we've settled things out a bit while you were sleeping. I'm just glad he didn't try to kill us when he woke."

"Lucky you…" The cloaked Zabrak stated in a gritty tone.

"Your arm. Are you in pain?"

Slowing to a chew, the tattoo-less Maul stood up, wiping his mouth free of Orange Goo. He eyed his brother, pacing back and forth in a curious manner. "_My _Brother. I like the sound of that."

"You are not my brother."

"Perhaps. Invigorating, isn't it?" Removing his hood, which completely shrouded his demeanor in total darkness, he flashed a generous smile. "The thought that we are one in the same, yet…so different..."

Sensing an intensity between the two Zabrak, Kif' attempted to lighten the mood. " Try the Honey Puffs, they are delicious."

"Quiet you. Your name is Maul. May I call you both by the same name?" Kirra hesitated to ask.

Both Zabrak replied in perfect unison. "You may."

Diverting his gaze to Kirra, Maul spoke. " I have many questions."

"Yes, of course. We've just explained it all to your brother here."

"Ya. Kirra and I just spent nearly the entire morning doing just that. But it seems as though you already know a great deal."

"I know only what the Force tells me."

"The Force. Strange. Can you feel it, brother." The Maul with the arm brace stated. "Something is wrong. Can you sense it?"

"Yes. I sense it. But this is no time to speak of it. Kirra'. If I may call you Kirra?" Maul bowed slightly. "What happened us?"

"You died brother. Isn't that obvious. You were cut down, sliced in two by that _Jedi_. And I am the remnants of your body. A lesser form of you no doubt. I am you…only lesser."

"That is not true." Kirra said, standing up in the process. "You are a regenerated being identical to the original host in every way. Although, you have slight memory loss. Gaps, so to speak. You are not a lesser being."

The tattoo-less Zabrak motioned the reply off like a Clone Trooper swatting an insect off his visor.

"Your body regenerated. Plain and simple. You've been out for nearly 20 years." Kif' stated.

"My body…I assumed that already. I meant…how did I survive?"

"That is tough for me to answer. We found your…well…body…both parts…and took them here. I simply don't know how anyone could have survived that. But it seems that all Iridonian's go into a hibernation-like state after a serious wound is inflicted. If keep alive and fed nutrients, a Zabrak such as yourself can survive such a horrendous attack. Massive trauma to the brain is needed to ultimately kill your species. Although, this information seems to have been hidden from the public."

Maul passed a thunderstruck expression as he sat, _thumping _into his seat. He glanced over his shoulder, watching his twin pacing the room ever so elegantly. "Senator Palpatine never attempted to find me?"

"_Senator _Palpatine? He is not a Senator anymore. It's Emperor Palpatine now. The great tyrant and ruler of the galaxy." Kif' rolled his eyes, twirling his hand in the air.

"No. Emperor?" The cloaked Maul blasted from the other side of the room. "You forgot to mention that in _our _conversation, didn't you?"

"Emperor…" Maul slung low in his chair, rubbing his shoulder gently.

"Just over a decade after we found you, I would say. Right Kirra?"

"Just about. The Jedi Temple was attacked by the Clone Troopers near the end of the Clone Wars…every Jedi was killed. He instated himself in the high position of Emperor soon after."

"So. He actually completed his mission. I must admit, I never actually thought the fool could pull it off."

"Nor did I." Both Zabrak exchanged a troubled glance. "He used us."

"Tossed away and discarded. Traitor." The cloaked Maul clenched his fists tightly enough to crush a Kryat Dragon Pearl into dust.

Kif' passed Maul a mug full of an orange substance he'd never seen or tasted before. "Orange Goo, clears the sinus. Go ahead, taste it."

"Thank you." Maul said, sipping the thick, choppy liquid.

"The Emperor is a murderer. We were all deceived. He promised us peace and prosperity. What we got instead was endless war and a ban on any new technology. His right hand man is also a monster. He dresses in black, has a flashy cape too. Calls himself "Vader." Kirra and I had the pleasure of meeting him here on Naboo a few years back. Not an experience I want to relive. He is a Sith supposedly, real nasty piece of work."

"A Sith?" Maul subtly inched his mug further away. "Impossible. Lord Sidious said that I was the only one in existence."

"Wrong again, brother. So it seems there was an emergence of yet two more Sith, roughly near the start of this Clone War."

Kirra offered the slouched Maul a plate of Honey Puffs. Seeing that he hadn't taken notice to the offering, she nudged it closer yet. "Lord Sidious? So Palpatine really was the Sith Lord the Jedi were hunting. There have been rumors, but it was never confirmed."

"What of these other Sith? What can you tell me of them?" Maul said, tasting a Honey Puff and cringing ever so slightly.

"Well. Just before the Clone Wars actually started, a former Jedi master named Dooku had emerged as an enemy to the Republic…" Kirra was startled by a interrupting outburst.

"Dooku! No! That old fool? I hadn't the slightest inkling that he even knew what a light saber truly was, let alone how to use it." The pacing Maul joined the conversation, standing next to his twin.

"Well, I would have said the same by the looks of him. But he defeated Obi-wan Kenobi and his apprentice; Anakin Skywalker…at the same time. And later that day, he fought Master Yoda and survived."

"Jedi Master Yoda. What fool would ever want to challenge him." Maul spoke softly.

"Dooku also had an apprentice for a short time. Some alien women. Extremely ugly. She was killed by Skywalker in the height of the Clone Wars. As for Dooku, he too was killed by the Master Kenobi and Skywalker a few years later." Kiff shook his head in remembrance.

"Everyone had assumed the war would be over. Dooku was thought to be the mastermind behind the Clone Wars. But he too was a puppet of the Emperor's plot. It seems everyone who that came near fell into his trap." Kirra joined Kif' in remembrance.

"Palpatine was my master. Our master. I never expected him to live this long. If not killed by me, then a Jedi master perhaps."

"He was a fool. If we were still one being, we'd have killed him by now."

Kirra and Kif' exchanged curious glances. Somewhat befuddled, the Noobian pair replied in simultaneously. "But he was your master?"

"And _we _were his apprentices." The tattoo less Maul boomed in anger. "_He _betrayed _us_…and he _will _pay."

"His time will come, brother" Maul smiled, looking over his shoulder at his twin.

Kirra shifted in her chair ever so slightly, breathing in a hefty amount of processed air. " Well, we can't keep you here. But it wouldn't be wise for you both to just attack. Your in no shape to do much of anything. I have a contact on Coruscant, he will be able to provide us with some transport and housing. But his rounds don't allow him to pass by Naboo for a few weeks."

"Ya. Looks like you two guys are stuck here for a while." Kif' laughed somewhat reluctantly. "I don't know you both well enough to judge. But something inside my stomach is telling me I can trust you…both of you. I have a gift for you both. As I take it, all four of us are out to destroy the Empire at any chance we get…you may find these useful."

Kif' faded into the blackened laboratory doorway and out of sight. Some fumbling could be heard inside the darkness before he'd emerged again. He held in each hand something the Zabrak were very familiar with. Something that would change the tides between what now is good vs. evil. The Force inside both Iridonian's had been cleansed. Filtered free of what the Force deemed unnecessary. Both found it a strange sensation, but comforting in a most peculiar fashion. Enlightened beyond anything they could ever dream of feeling, both Iridonian Zabrak no longer bent to the will of the Force. For now, it was the Force that would yield to their will. This was only the beginning of their new path. Both brothers can feel it curdling and boiling inside their veins. It was a new sensation, one that neither brother could ever remember experiencing. Inside this new world, fear did not exist. And that was truly all they wanted. For at their former masters side, fear was what controlled them, shaped them, molded them into whatever the evil that is Palpatine saw fit. For the first time in their lives, they were not afraid. The path set before them can be seen clear as day. This was the way of the Jedi, and neither Maul could ever forgive their master for blinding them from this new world…

"I found this one not too far away from you. It was severely damaged, though with a bit of ingenuity, I was able to repair it. But then it struck me. Something inside of me said to repair this one, but build 2 more. It took a bit of research and reverse engineering to figure out the mechanics of it, but it got it. What to you think?"

Kif' held 2 newly crafted and polished light sabers in each hand. But one pair was nothing like either brother had ever seen. To one brother he gave the strange sabers, to the other, the former saber of Obi-Wan Kenobi as well as a newly crafted light saber; silver in color.

"Go ahead and touch the butt ends together." Kif' grinned heavily, putting his hands on his hips and looking as smug as ever. "They use magnets and pressure sensors. All you need to do is click them together, and voila. They will also increase in the amount of sticking power as you increase your grip. That way, they won't unhinge, and you can also use them one at a time. Looks just like your old double sided saber, huh? Except the blade color is a light blue"

Maul studied the craftsmanship of his new sabers. Eyeing them up and down, left and right. Running his hands over them, sensing their power through the Force. "A fine piece of work. Beautiful. I thank you."

"And you." Kif' shifted his eyes towards Mauls twin, who'd been eyeing his brothers double sided saber, nearly forgetting he was holding his own. "Yours are special. They are unlike any kind ever made."

"How do you use them?" Maul stated after a quick inspection.

"Easy. Slide one arm through each of the straps; one past the elbow, and one mid-forearm, the next at the end of your forearm, and the last at the wrist. You may want to set the other one down for now."

"Why?" The hidden excitement inside him could be sensed even without using the Force.

"Trust me. We want to avoid accidents." Kif' backed up slightly.

"Now what?" Maul said, fitting the spandex-like bands to his size.

Attached to the stretchable bands were saber-like hilts, twice as small as normal hilts. It was also silver in color and had no power activators that could be seen.

Both Mauls protested. "I do not understand."

"Hold your arm out away from your body. Then, flex your arm slightly." Kif' folded his arms, taking yet another step back, and pulling Kirra along with him.

The sizzling deep blue light saber blade spurted on with a _crackle…in three different sections. _ A blade extending from the wrist portion of the bands, jetting outward past his knuckles 6 inches. Another blade sat in between the wrist and elbow straps, nearly 12 inches in length. And finally, a blade another 6 inches extended out beyond his elbow. Maul was simply astonished. The shock of such a deadly weapon hit deep inside his soul. It fit him perfectly.

"I knew you were well versed in hand to hand combat. So I figured a light saber that one can block and attack with…at the same time…would fit you well. You can stab, block and elbow all at the same time. Striking and blocking at a close range. You can even grapple and attack, not having to worry about dropping your typical saber. A deadly style, wouldn't you say?"

"Kif'. That is amazing. When did you come up with that idea…when did you have to time work on such a monstrous weapon?" Kirra shook her head in confusion.

"Most of the parts were found by a friend on Coruscant just after the Clone Wars ended. I had them shipped here. It was fairly easy to assemble them, as only a few parts needed adjustments."

"Sir. I cannot express my gratitude. This will prove very useful, indeed." The cloaked Maul bowed elegantly.

"Yes. We thank you."

"No need. If your really going to go after the Emperor, your going to need some training don't you think? I mean, your in no shape to fight each other let alone a Sith Lord. We have plenty of time on our hands. Your free to stay here as long as you like. We don't leave for Coruscant for nearly 6 standard weeks. More than enough time to get used to life outside the tubes." Kif' laughed, but neither Zabrak had been humored.

"You need new clothes. And I've got just the thing for you both. Wait here until I return." Kirra trotted off into the same darkened room Kif' had disappeared into. Retuning sometime later to find Kif' demonstrating on how to properly use the new sabers. She cleared her throat, tossing her hair out of her eyes with her free hand.

"Kirra. Those look fantastic. I wouldn't mind a pair of those myself." Kif' said, smirking.

"Here, take these. I hope they fit." Kirra gleamed with joy, looking into the Zabrak with larger horns eyes.

To one, she gave a smooth leather, long sleeve, black V-neck top with red trim. To the other, the same garments, but all red with black trim. She also handed them a pair of black and red boots that opposed each other.

"Try those on and let me know what you think." Said Kirra.

"We will. And I thank you once again."

"As do I."

"Me, too." Kif' said, laughing out loud.

Kirra joined Kif' at the arm, simply glowing with excitement, and ready to take on anything that came her way. Kif' smiled deep into her eyes, each realizing something truly important was about to occur. The end of the Empire could be near. And nothing would please the pair of them more than seeing the Empire fall apart.

"Brother. You and I have work to do." The Maul with larger horns explained.

"Yes. That we do…brother."


	9. Chapter 9

-1Chapter 9

Coruscant: The Jewel of the Galaxy

District 120-South was no place for any communications droid to be. It lay in the darkest, most murderous portion of Coruscant, well beyond anything that the citizens of the Galactic Core considered to be "a safe zone".

If TC-770 had been programmed with any version of Emotion-Control software, he'd have had a Core meltdown by now. Which, of course, would completely ruin his new golden-polished exterior.

"Hey! Watch it bub'."

"Oh, dear. Pardon me, sir." TC-770 hesitantly yelped after accidentally bumping a cloaked, human-like male, who's metallic claws had been sheathed and pointed directly at him.

"Dang protocol droids…"

TC-770 had been on the move for nearly a standard hour before locating 4412D-Block-South: A nasty motel specifically designed for a "no questions asked" customer. It lay in complete shadow, flashing only a glitching, yellow-neon sign.

_Drakes Motel_

"Well, this is the correct address. Oh dear, I should have taken that job on Yavin 4." The golden protocol droids photoreceptors dimmed slightly.

The motels scorched, metallic doorway opened with a _whoosh_, allowing TC-770 to enter uncompromised. Inside, it was exactly the way the protocol droid had pre-rendered: Dark and musty, riddled with insects and what seemed to be laser scorch marks. Directly ahead of him sat a relatively large Kobok, residing in a plasteel ticket booth, immersed in almost total darkness. Staircases ran up along both sides of the box the Kobok had been sitting in, which lead to the second and third floors of the motel.

"We don't serve your kind here." The Kobok insect screeched, smirking all the while.

"Well. I am here to present a mister "Ru'en" with a communication from the…" TC-770 was immediately interrupted.

"Yes, yes. You are expected. Mr. Ru'en is waiting on the third floor: Room 31."

"Thank you, it is most appreciated. It is not often that I get the chance to interact with such…"

"Get out of my sight!"

"Oh dear…" TC-770 proceeded into a slight trot, making his up the right side of the staircase.

"You may enter." A voice called out behind the door of room 31, just before the protocol droid began to knock. Hesitant, the protocol droid pushed open the wooden door, ever so slightly.

"Hello. I am TC-770: human-cyborg relations. My master has a message for you. Um. If I may?"

"Of course, you may." Ru'en stood in front of the only open window of his near-empty room. A small bed resided on the right side of the room, but it's sheets had not been tampered with. Well light, the figure stood on the far side of the room, hands folded behind his back. He'd had the appearance of a human male, roughly 25 standard years old. If TC-770 had to guess, he'd say he was from Coruscant. But, in that respect, the droid would be entirely wrong.

Ru'en was not a man, nor a women. He was, in fact, not even a solid creature, but an entirely unique being all together. It took only a few moments for TC-770 to realize just what this "man" was. The droid squinted his photoreceptors slightly, scanning the being with info-red sensors. The results of his scan were what TC-770 considered to be "astounding." This creature that stood before him was no human man, but in fact, a dense fog-like gas. A gaseous mass with a conscious, and the ability to change it's appearance at will.

"Master Ru'en. My master, Emperor Palpatine, cordially invites you to his temple on Coruscant. I have a shuttle waiting at docking bay 4 on the far side of district 120. We can part any time you'd like."

"TC-770. Human-Cyborg relations. Very impressive." Ru'en turned to view his new golden friend with a full, and eloquent smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise, I have never encountered a being such as yourself. It is not often that I get the chance to interact with…"

"To interact with other life forms, yes?" Ru'en excitedly interrupted.

"Well. Yes, that is correct."

"You and I are alike, droid. Is it not remarkable, that one could discover so much about another in such a short amount of time?"

"Oh, I, um…I suppose so. Master Ru'en, may I inquire as to when you would like to leave this retched place? I am due for a polishing in a few standard hours, and I wouldn't want to be late."

"By all means, please, lead the way." Ru'en gestured towards the door, ruffling what would seem to be his sleeve.

Trotting out through the door, TC-770 felt the irresistible urge to conjure a question. Seemingly, a question that had been on his hard drive for eons; as to a droid, an instant in time may seem like an eternity. Power surged from his main battery ports and flowed into his primary drive. Each watt of power traveling to just the right area of his central core, and exploding outward towards his cortex. Upon arrival, each diminutive watt of power signaling the cortex of how to string a question together; one that could end up as any one of an infinite number of possibilities. TC770 had randomly chosen one of them, and voiced his inquiry. "A remarkable trait. I must say, I should very much like to know exactly what you are."

Ru'en stopped in his tracks upon rounding the corner, allowing the protocol droid to pass and lead the way. Ru'en spotted something he'd forgot had existed.

"_Stairs_." He though to himself. "_I forgot about those_."

"Master Ru'en? Are you alright?" TC-770 said, not noticing he was more than a Banthas length ahead of Ru'en.

"Yes, my friend. I am fine. Can you keep a secret?" Ru'en gestured for the droid to inch a bit closer.

"Yes, of course."

TC-770 took a few steps forward, but making sure not to come too close, as his "Human Comfort Software" had already begun to issue commands for him not to stand too close.

"Well, my friend, as you may have noticed, I am not like you."

"Of course not, master Ru'en. You are organic, and I am not."

"Precisely. Although, I must know that I can trust you before I can tell you my secret. Can I trust you, my friend?"

"Oh yes, master Ru'en. I am very trustworthy. As it is not in my programming to be disloyal to anyone." TC-770 tilted his head to one side, raising both arms slightly at an incline.

"Very well. I am unable to descend this staircase in a manner you may be comfortable with." Ru'en stepped closer to the edge of the stairway.

"May I be of assistance, master Ru'en?"

"No, my friend, you cannot. I am not what I appear to be, as I am sure you have already discerned. I am…un-solid."

"I understand, if you were to further increase your density, you would be able to step down this staircase. My logic programming tells me that it would require a great amount of energy for you to do so. Am I correct?"

"Remarkable. Please proceed." Ru'en smiled whole heartedly.

"So it would seem, you are not in contact with the floor at all. There is, in fact, a microscopic gap in between your boot and the floor itself. Whatever your species is, you are unable to have physical contact with anything."

"Very good. And all just by scanning me? You are truly an inspiration." Ru'en bowed with the grace of royalty.

"Oh, it is easy when you're a droid, sir."

TC-770 proceeded down the creaking staircase, clanging and clacking his metal padding with each step. His counterpart, Ru'en, however, remained silent. Each step looking as if it made contact with the step, but in reality, it did not. If Ru'en had broken concentration for even the slightest instant, he'd transpose straight through the staircase. And after the staircase, the ground, proceeding to fall through the sewers, ending up in the middle of the planets core. Stuck in a gravity bubble, he'd be unable to evaporate through rock and metal any longer. Concentration was key.

Passing the Kobok and proceeding out onto the dirty, garbage infested street, the pair made their way toward docking bay 4.

"My friend, we must make a quick stop, I have business elsewhere to attend to. Will this pose a problem?" Ru'en dodged a large Bothan, who hadn't noticed that aliens arm had passed directly through his own.

"Well, it depends on the destination."

"Naboo."

"Oh, not a problem, sir. Naboo is fairly close to Coruscant, we should be there and back in no time at all." TC-770 turned his head slightly.

"I hope your shuttle can accommodate more than 2 other passengers."

"Oh yes, master Ru'en, it can. It is am Imperial shuttle of the finest quality. Designed for royal passengers, you know."

"Good…it will be needed."

A lone figure stood at the edge of the laboratory garden, basking amongst the yellow and blue Citriani flowers and Noobian honey-dew groves. Shadowed by the golden-yellow Noobian sun, Kirra gazed towards the palace that lay on the horizon.

"_I do not want to leave Naboo_." Kirra thought to herself. "_I can almost sense the danger we are about to run into._"

6 months had passed since the Iridonian pair had awoken. Nearly an entire season on Naboo had come and gone. The winter months had ended and summer was about to begin.

"Nothing like Noobian flowers in the summer time." Kif' joined Kirra at her side, each now gazing outward into the distant sky.

"No. Nothing quite like it at all, Kif'."

"You know, I'm really going to miss this place. It's a shame we're leaving so soon." Kif' folded his arms, dipping his head into his chest.

"Did you get the supplies?" Kirra turned slightly to inquire.

"Of course. Wasn't easy to come by, but I managed to buy just enough off the black market. It should do nicely."

"Good. And what of them?"

"Well, they have everything they need…and so do we." Kif' pointed his thumb toward the area behind them.

Both Iridonian brothers were locked in full hand to hand combat. Each blocking the others force enhanced physical attacks; high kicks and low, lightning fast punches and sweeps. They moved in a blur. Neither Kif' nor Kirra could fully keep up with their movements.

"They've improved so much, Kif'. All they do is practice, I hope they have a plan of their own."

"They know what they need to do and we know what _we _need to do. I made some modification to one of their new light sabers. I didn't like the design of the original, so I changed it completely."

"Yes. I saw you working on it the other day. How does it work?" Kirra spun around to view both Mauls training session.

"It's actually much safer than the prior model. The old one was an arm band with saber junctions at the elbow, mid arm, and wrist. A blade jetted out from the wrist and elbow, and joined from each end to the mid junction. He would have been forced to wear it at all times. And I could see that he had become uncomfortable with the idea. So I decided to scrap it. This new model is not only much safer for the user, but more deadly to the enemy. I've fashioned holsters that run down the side of each leg, and another pair running up the side of his forearms. The saber itself is attached to each leg with a Velcro-like material. The sabers themselves are of a newer design. The jetting saber at the elbow is now hook shaped. I had trouble modifying the energy beam to curve; but it only took the integration of a second power unit to get it to work. That seemed to do the trick. This way, he can not only attack with it, but catch another light saber with it, toggling it in any way he wants to. The jetting blade at the wrist is the same, I decided to remove the center blade."

"Why, Kif'?"

"Well, it took up too much power, And it was an awful counter balance. Also, I found that he simply didn't need it. He seems to be Force sensitive enough to utilize either end to block and attack."

"And the holsters? How do they work?"

Kif' smiled, looking as smug as ever. "Easy. The holsters on his arms interlock with the sabers on his legs. He need only click his arms on the sabers running down his leg, and voila."

"Kif', that is ingenious. Does he like it?"

"So it seems, he seemed to adapt to it almost instantly. I though I caught a hint of a smile after I demonstrated it."

"I am scared Kif'. I don't know if this is a good idea." Kirra tossed her arms around Kif', squeezing him tightly.

"It's going to be a tough job, but it must be done. We're going to have to…"

Kif' was interrupted by the sound of a ship breaking the sound barrier. Coming out of the clouds above, and slowly descending on the far side of the laboratory.

"It's a royal transport ship! That had better be your contact, or we are in deep trouble."

TC-770 activated the descending ramp, hissing and smacking the dirt with a _clang. _"Oh dear, I hope I haven't caused to much of a ruckus."

"Nice landing. Where did you learn to fly; at the royal blind academy, I suppose?" Ru'en popped his head into the cockpit to inquire. "You didn't kill anybody, did you?"

"Oh dear, I hope not. I am sorry master Ru'en, I am not much of a pilot."

"Let's leave the driving to the auto-pilot. For now, lets just greet my friend."

"Agreed, sir." TC-770 dimmed his optical sensors slightly.

"Kirra." Ru'en said, stepping off the ships cargo bay.

"Ru'en! It is great to see you again. How have you been?" Kirra left Kif's side in a hurry, immersing him almost completely in her wake.

"Well, Kirra. I hate to be the barer of bad news, but I am in a frightful hurry. May we leave soon?"

"Of course, we are all ready to go." Kirra motioned towards all three of her counterparts; who had been slowly making their way towards the pair.

Ru'en moved slightly closer to Kirra, in hopes neither Kif' nor the Iridonians could hear. "Are they well?"

"Oh yes." Kirra stated with a soft tone. "Very well, I'd say."

"Great. Lets waste no time, we must leave now." Ru'en smiled at both Mauls, completely ignoring Kif's presence.

"Why the hurry?" Kif' said, crossing his arms.

"Prior engagements, of course." Ru'en made no gesture towards Kif', as he proceeded up the cargo-bay ramp.

"Brother." The Maul with smaller horns jerked his brother by the shoulder. "I sense a disturbance in the Force."

"Calm yourself. I sense nothing. Perhaps it is your nerves."

"It is _not _nerves. There is something about this human. How do we know we can trust him?"

"He is an acquaintance of Kirra's. That is all we need to trust him."

"You tread in deep waters, my brother. Do not let your feelings blind you."

The brothers followed closely behind Kif', who in turn had been following Kirra and Ru'en into the cargo-bay.

TC-770's voice came over the loud speaker, nearly scaring Kirra off her plush seat. "Please insure your seatbelts are properly fastened, and that you remain seating until we make the jump to light speed."

"So, who are you?" Kif' locked eyes with Ru'en, crossing his arms over his chest.

"My name is Ru'en. It is a pleasure to meet you Kif'. Oh, I and also to both of you, as well. May I ask what your names are?"

"You may not." The cloaked Maul stated with gentle boom.

"Brother, manners. Our name is Maul. You may call us by that name."

"You are Iridonians, I see. I had forgotten that. Say. What did the Jedi say to the Iridonian?" Ru'en passed an excited gaze upon the former Sith pair.

"No. Ru'en. Let it go." Kirra said, smirking.

Ru'en let out a deep _sigh_ as the ships thrusters began to hum and whine. "Upon arrival to Coruscant, I suggest we immediately part ways."

"Agreed." Both Kirra and Kif' replied in unison.

"Have you all your equipment; toothbrushes, knives, sabers, blasters, shaving kits, tissues?"

"Oh. He's a funny guy." Kif' stated, rolling his eyes.

Kirra nudged Kif' sharply into his ribs. "Yes, we have everything."

The ship slowly lifted off the ground, booming as it's sub light engines kicked in.

"Now, Kif'?" Kirra met eyes with the man she'd known her entire life.

"Now, Kirra."

Kif' slipped a small box out of his front pocket, aiming it towards the laboratory far below. The Noobian pair smiled at each other, peering out the view port window. I _crackle _could be heard even through the transparasteel windows. The transport slightly shook soon after the laboratory exploded into a million pieces.

"Preparing for the jump to light speed." TC-770's voice once again boomed over the loud speaker.


End file.
